Chronic Illness: Helping Your Child Cope at School in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Starting elementary school or moving up to middle or high school is a big transition for any Grand Rapids student and family. When a child is living with a chronic (ongoing) health condition, school can feel even more challenging—for the student, parents, and school staff.

In Grand Rapids, students with chronic illnesses can thrive when families, schools, and healthcare providers work together with a clear, coordinated plan.

Chronic Illness in Children: The Grand Rapids Context

Chronic illnesses are often associated with adults, but many children in West Michigan live with long-term health conditions. In the Grand Rapids area, common pediatric chronic illnesses include:

  • Asthma (especially important in Michigan due to seasonal changes and indoor air issues during long winters)
  • Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Epilepsy
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Musculoskeletal disorders
  • Vision and hearing impairments
  • Severe allergies and anaphylaxis

Local pediatric care is available through major health systems such as Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Mercy Health locations in the broader West Michigan region.

How Chronic Illness Can Affect School in Grand Rapids

Students with chronic illness may miss significant class time because they:

  • Need to go to the hospital (for example, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital)
  • Recover at home after treatments or procedures
  • Attend regular medical, therapy, or specialist appointments

These absences can lead to:

  • Difficulty keeping up with schoolwork and assignments
  • Lower academic performance or missed learning milestones
  • Trouble completing tests or exams on time
  • Feeling less confident and less motivated
  • Changes in self-esteem and body image
  • Challenges maintaining friendships and social connections
  • Difficulty participating in physical education, sports, or field trips
  • Problems moving around the school if mobility is affected (especially in winter weather conditions with snow and ice)

Because Grand Rapids has cold, long winters and variable weather, students with asthma, immune issues, or mobility challenges may need extra support during these months.

Building a Support Team: Family, School, and Healthcare Providers

The most important step for supporting a student with chronic illness in Grand Rapids is strong, ongoing communication between:

  • The family
  • The school (teachers, counselors, administrators, school nurse)
  • The healthcare team (pediatrician, specialists at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, and other providers)

Clarify Expectations and Roles

Everyone involved should understand:

  • What your child needs during the school day
  • What the school can realistically provide
  • What the family will manage at home
  • When to call parents or emergency services

Aim for realistic and achievable expectations so your child feels supported—not singled out or overwhelmed.

Sharing Information About Your Child’s Chronic Illness

You and your child have the right to privacy, but sharing the right information with the right people is essential for safety and success at school.

Decide What to Share and With Whom

In partnership with your child:

  • Decide what information about the condition should be shared
    • Diagnosis (if comfortable sharing)
    • Triggers (for example, allergens, exercise, cold air)
    • Warning signs that your child is unwell
    • Medications and when they are needed
    • Emergency procedures
  • Decide who needs to know:
    • Principal or assistant principal
    • Classroom and subject teachers
    • School nurse or health aide
    • Coaches, PE teachers, and activity leaders
    • Bus drivers if relevant
    • Front office staff who may respond in an emergency

Protecting Privacy While Ensuring Safety

Try to balance:

  • Your child’s right to confidentiality and dignity
  • The need for staff to have enough information to keep your child safe

Agree on:

  • Who will share the information (parent, guardian, student, school nurse, counselor, or a designated staff member)
  • How it will be shared (meeting, written plan, email, health forms)
  • When it will be updated (for example, after a medication change or hospitalization)

Creating a School Health or Care Plan

In consultation with your child’s doctor, family, and school leadership, ask the school to help you develop a written care or management plan. In Michigan, most public and private schools are familiar with creating:

  • Individualized Health Plans (IHPs)
  • 504 Plans (for accommodations)
  • Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), when applicable

A good school-based care plan should:

  • Be written and easily accessible to relevant staff
  • Include:
    • Your child’s diagnosis (if shared)
    • Daily health needs (for example, blood sugar checks, inhaler use)
    • Activity restrictions or modifications (especially for PE or outdoor activities)
    • Medication details and storage instructions
    • Step-by-step emergency procedures
    • Contact information for parents/guardians and healthcare providers
  • Be reviewed at least once a year, or any time there is a major change in your child’s condition or treatment

Make sure substitute teachers, lunch/recess supervisors, and bus drivers are informed in a way that protects your child’s privacy but still keeps them safe.

Keeping Communication Strong Between Home and School

Regular communication helps track how your child is coping academically, socially, physically, and emotionally.

Options include:

  • A home–school communication notebook (especially helpful for younger children)
  • Regular emails between parents and teachers
  • Scheduled check-in meetings with teachers, counselors, or the school nurse
  • Parent–teacher conferences with a health focus
  • Phone calls after medical appointments or hospitalizations

Teachers and parents can use these tools to note:

  • Changes in energy levels
  • Whether your child is keeping up with schoolwork
  • Participation in daily activities and recess
  • Mood, anxiety, or signs of bullying or isolation

Reducing the Impact of Absences on Learning and Social Life

When a Grand Rapids student misses a lot of school because of illness, both parents and the school can take steps to keep them connected.

Academic Support Strategies

  • Send schoolwork home with a sibling, friend, or via email/online platforms
  • Use online learning tools (Google Classroom, Schoology, district portals)
  • Arrange tutoring through the school or community programs
  • Offer extended time for assignments and tests
  • Adjust the workload when your child is fatigued or recovering from treatment

Social and Emotional Support

  • Encourage classmates to send cards, messages, or video calls (with your child’s permission)
  • Arrange brief visits or check-ins if your child is hospitalized at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital or another local facility
  • Talk with the school counselor or social worker about peer support or counseling
  • Ask teachers to help your child rejoin group work and activities when they return

Adapting the School Environment in Grand Rapids

Physical Environment Changes

Some students with chronic illness or disability may need changes to the school’s physical setup, such as:

  • Ramps and handrails
  • Elevators or stair alternatives where available
  • Accessible restrooms
  • Extra time to move between classes (especially in winter conditions)
  • Adaptive equipment (for writing, seating, mobility, or technology)

Talk with the principal or special education coordinator about accommodations and, when appropriate, 504 Plans or IEPs under federal law.

Academic and Schedule Adjustments

The school may need to adjust:

  • Curriculum expectations or modify assignments
  • Timetables to allow for rest periods or medical procedures
  • PE requirements for students who can’t participate fully
  • Course loads for middle and high school students

For older students (such as those preparing for standardized tests, AP courses, or college entry), discuss:

  • Testing accommodations (extra time, breaks, separate room)
  • Adjusted or reduced course schedules during intensive treatment periods

Educating School Staff About Chronic Illness

School staff may need more information or training about your child’s specific condition. This can include:

  • How to recognize warning signs that your child needs help
  • When and how to administer medication (for example, inhalers, EpiPens, insulin)
  • What to do in a medical emergency
  • How to support your child without drawing unwanted attention

You can:

  • Share information from your child’s pediatrician or specialist
  • Provide brochures or links from trusted sources such as Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, or national organizations
  • Ask if the school nurse or Kent County Health Department can provide staff training

Special Services and Supports in Grand Rapids and Michigan

While the original article referenced specific programs from another state, families in Grand Rapids have access to a variety of local and statewide supports.

School-Based Support Personnel

Depending on the district (Grand Rapids Public Schools, Kentwood, Wyoming, Forest Hills, Rockford, etc.), your child may have access to:

  • School nurses or health aides
  • School counselors or guidance counselors
  • School psychologists
  • Social workers
  • Speech-language pathologists
  • Occupational and physical therapists
  • Special education teachers
  • Student support or wellness coordinators (sometimes called pastoral care or student services coordinators)

Ask your school principal who coordinates services for students with health needs.

Michigan Educational Supports

In Michigan, students with chronic illness may qualify for:

  • Section 504 Plans (for accommodations due to a health condition)
  • Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities that impact learning
  • Support and guidance through the Michigan Department of Education

Your school’s special education or student services department can help you understand:

  • What your child may qualify for
  • How to request evaluations
  • How to participate in planning meetings

Community and Hospital-Based Education Support

Children who miss a lot of school because of serious illness may benefit from:

  • Hospital-based teachers or education liaisons (for example, through Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital education services)
  • Homebound or home–hospital instruction, which some Michigan districts offer for students who are temporarily unable to attend school
  • Nonprofit programs that provide tutoring or educational “catch-up” services for children recovering from cancer or other serious illnesses

Ask your child’s:

  • School counselor
  • Hospital social worker
  • Pediatric specialist

about current programs available in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan area.

Local Public Health and Support Resources in Grand Rapids

Families in the Grand Rapids area can reach out to:

  • Kent County Health Department – for immunizations, asthma education, public health nursing, and community health resources
    Website: https://www.accesskent.com/health
  • Grand Rapids Public Schools Student Services – for information about health plans, 504 Plans, and IEPs (contact your specific school or district office)
  • Grand Rapids area hospitals:
    • Corewell Health / Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
    • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
    • Mercy Health locations in West Michigan

Your child’s primary care provider (PCP) or pediatrician is also a key partner in coordinating school accommodations and providing medical documentation.

Key Ways to Support a Student with Chronic Illness in Grand Rapids

Share Information

  • Work with your child to decide what health information to share.
  • Make sure key staff (principal, teachers, nurse, counselor) understand your child’s needs.
  • Update the school when medications or treatment plans change.

Develop a Care Plan

  • Create a written school health or care plan with input from your child’s doctor and school.
  • Include daily care needs and emergency steps.
  • Review and update the plan regularly.

Keep Communication Strong

  • Use a home–school communication notebook, email, or scheduled check-ins.
  • Let the school know about upcoming procedures or hospital stays.
  • Ask teachers to notify you if they notice changes in behavior, energy, or mood.

Make Reasonable Changes

  • Ask about accommodations for assignments, tests, and physical activities.
  • Request extra time or reduced workload during flare-ups or recovery periods.
  • Discuss accessibility needs, especially in winter when snow and ice can make mobility harder.

Where to Get Help in Grand Rapids

  • Your child’s GP or pediatrician – for medical management and documentation for school
  • School principal or assistant principal – to discuss plans, accommodations, and resources
  • School nurse, counselor, or social worker – for day-to-day support and coordination
  • Kent County Health Department – for community health programs and guidance
    Website: https://www.accesskent.com/health
  • Major healthcare systems:
    • Corewell Health / Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
    • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
    • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
    • Mercy Health (West Michigan)

Key Points for Grand Rapids Families

  • Starting school or moving to a new school level is a major transition—especially for students with chronic illnesses.
  • Chronic illness can lead to missed school, academic challenges, and social or emotional stress.
  • Families and schools in Grand Rapids should work together to build a clear, realistic health and education plan.
  • Sharing appropriate information, developing a care plan, and keeping communication open are essential.
  • Local resources—from Grand Rapids schools to Kent County Health Department and area hospitals—can help your child stay safe, included, and successful at school.